Members of the Saint Louis University baseball team celebrate taking the lead in Tuesday’s win over Western Illinois. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Illinois (6-18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| SLU (16-12) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | X | 6 | 12 | 1 |
WP: Karl Ralamb – SLU (1-2) LP: Jackson Rodgers – WIU (0-2)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
ST. LOUIS, MO — Six pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout and every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit, as the Saint Louis University baseball team earned its second straight win (and fourth in its last five games), with a 6-0 victory over Western Illinois, Tuesday evening at the Billiken Sports Complex.
Saint Louis, which is now 16-12 on the season, took control of the contest early, as it scored two runs and sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning.
Leadoff man Hayden Moore began the game with a double down the left-field line. He then advanced to third on a single by Ian Blazier.
That brought designated hitter Riley Iffrig to plate and he drove in the game’s first run with a single to center that scored Moore. First baseman Max McGwire later drove in Blazier with a two-out single that made the score 2-0.
Those two runs turned out to be more than enough for the Billiken pitching staff, which combined to shut out the Leathernecks and allowed just six hits and three walks in the game.
Redshirt sophomore Karl Ralamb (1-2) earned his first collegiate win by going five innings and giving up no runs on four hits and two walks. Ralamb also struck out two batters and forced two key double plays that helped keep Western Illinois off the scoreboard.
After Ralamb left the game, five SLU relievers came in and also didn’t let the Leathernecks score any runs. Freshman Richie Cimpric, senior Ty Holman, and junior Charlie Weber each pitched an inning, while senior Kobe Allen and sophomore Stephen Hernandez combined to get through an inning.
Weber had a particularly dominant performance. He struck out the side in the ninth to close out the game.
At the plate, Iffrig was the star of the night. The sophomore transfer from Indiana State reached base three times, with two hits and a walk. He also drove in two runs and scored two runs for the Billikens.
Moore and Blazier also had two hits. Senior second baseman Ethan Sitzman drove in three runs and reached base twice, with a hit and a walk.
Saint Louis will get back to Atlantic 10 Conference action this weekend, when it travels to Virginia to play a three-game set against George Mason. The Patriots are 17-12 on the season, but are a game behind the Billikens in the A-10 standings.
SLU is 6-3 in conference play and currently sits in a three-way tie with Rhode Island and Davidson for second place.
SLU’s next home game will be next Tuesday, when the Billikens will host Rockhurst in a non-conference game at the BSC.
2025 SLU BILLIKENS BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 14, 2025 (Friday) | 12 pm | Away | Saint Mary’s | Moraga, Calif. | W 9-4 (1-0) |
| February 14, 2025 (Friday) | 4 pm | Away | Saint Mary’s | Moraga, Calif. | L 16-1 (1-1) |
| February 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Saint Mary’s | Moraga, Calif. | L 16-3 (1-2) |
| February 16, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | Saint Mary’s | Moraga, Calif. | L 2-9 (1-3) |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Neutral | North Alabama | Pearl, Miss. / Trustmark Park | W 5-0 (2-3) |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 pm | Neutral | North Alabama | Pearl, Miss. / Trustmark Park | L 8-1 (2-4) |
| February 23, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | North Alabama | Pearl, Miss. / Trustmark Park | Canceled |
| February 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 2 pm | Away | SIU-Edwardsville | Edwardsville, Ill. | W 9-2 (3-4) |
| February 26, 2025 (Wednesday) | 3 pm | Away | Southern Indiana | Evansville, Ind. | L 11-4 (3-5) |
| February 28, 2025 (Friday) | 8 pm | Away | Loyola Marymount | Los Angeles, Calif. | W 7-5 (4-5) |
| March 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 5 pm | Away | Loyola Marymount | Los Angeles, Calif. | W 10-8 (5-5) |
| March 2, 2025 (Sunday) | 3 pm | Away | Loyola Marymount | Los Angeles, Calif. | L 15-4 (5-6) |
| March 4, 2025 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Away | Missouri State | Springfield, Mo. | L 9-7 (5-7) |
| March 5, 2025 (Wednesday) | 3 pm | Home | Southern Indiana | Billiken Sports Center | Postponed |
| March 7, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | South Dakota State | Billiken Sports Center | W 8-7 (6-7) |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | South Dakota State | Billiken Sports Center | W 12-4 (7-7) |
| March 9, 2025 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Home | South Dakota State | Billiken Sports Center | W 17-2 (8-7) |
| March 12, 2025 (Wednesday) | 2 pm | Home | SEMO | Billiken Sports Center | L 8-1 (8-8) |
| March 14, 2025 (Friday) | 2 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | L 5-4 (8-9) |
| March 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 4 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | W 3-2 (9-9) |
| March 16, 2025 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Billiken Sports Center | W 8-4 (10-9) |
| March 19, 2025 (Wednesday) | 3 pm | Home | Bradley | Billiken Sports Center | L 9-8 (10-10) |
| March 21, 2025 (Friday) | 2 pm | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | W 8-4 (11-10) |
| March 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 10 am | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | W 7-3 (12-10) |
| March 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | L 6-5 (12-11) |
| March 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Home | Butler | Billiken Sports Center | W 12-2 (13-11) |
| March 28, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | St. Bonaventure | Billiken Sports Center | W 10-9 (14-11) |
| March 29, 2025 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | St. Bonaventure | Billiken Sports Center | L 9-7 (14-12) |
| March 30, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | St. Bonaventure | Billiken Sports Center | W 7-3 (15-12) |
| April 1, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Home | Western Illinois | Billiken Sports Center | W 6-0 (16-12) |
| April 4, 2025 (Friday) | 1 pm | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 6, 2025 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | |
| April 8, 2025 (Tuesday) | 5 pm | Home | Rockhurst | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 11, 2025 (Friday) | 4:30 pm | Away | Davidson | Davidson, N.C. | |
| April 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 12:30 pm | Away | Davidson | Davidson, N.C. | |
| April 13, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | Davidson | Davidson, N.C. | |
| April 15, 2025 (Tuesday) | 5 pm | Home | Lindenwood | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 17, 2025 (Thursday) | 6 pm | Home | VCU | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 18, 2025 (Friday) | 2 pm | Home | VCU | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 19, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Home | VCU | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 22, 2025 (Tuesday) | 5 pm | Home | Southern Indiana | Billiken Sports Center | |
| April 25, 2025 (Friday) | 1 pm | Away | Richmond | Richmond, Va. | |
| April 26, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | Richmond | Richmond, Va. | |
| April 27, 2025 (Sunday) | 11 am | Away | Richmond | Richmond, Va. | |
| April 29, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Home | SIU-Edwardsville | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 2, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 3, 2025 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 4, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Massachusetts | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 6, 2025 (Tuesday) | 5 pm | Away | Lindenwood | St. Charles, Mo. | |
| May 9, 2025 (Friday) | 2 pm | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. | |
| May 10, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. | |
| May 11, 2025 (Sunday) | 10 am | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. | |
| May 13, 2025 (Tuesday) | 2 pm | Away | Western Illinois | Macomb, Ill. | |
| May 15, 2025 (Thursday) | 6 pm | Home | George Washington | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 16, 2025 (Friday) | 2 pm | Home | George Washington | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 17, 2025 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Home | George Washington | Billiken Sports Center | |
| May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) | TBD | Neutral | A-10 Baseball Championship | Tysons, Va. |